1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to a vise, and more particularly, to an improved grip set for an adjustable vise having a plurality of removable grip blocks, which allow a machinist, manufacturer, or hobbyist to efficiently and economically machine irregularly shaped parts by permitting access to all sides of a workpiece gripped between the jaws of the vise.
Vises are commonplace in both commercial manufacturing and residential settings, and are used to hold objects to be worked upon in a fixed position. Generally, a vise grips an article between a pair of cooperating jaws to allow a machinist, manufacturer, or hobbyist to cut, bore, or perform other mill work on the article's ungripped surfaces. For example, when a flat, square block is placed between the cooperating jaws of the vise, two sides of the block are gripped by the vise leaving the two remaining sides and the top exposed for machining and other mill work. The problem with and disadvantage of this conventional vise is that a user of the vise cannot machine or perform other mill work on the gripped sides of the workpiece without first repositioning it in the vise. This results in lost time and decreased efficiency, and, ultimately, represents increased expense to the manufacturer.
Often, an attachment is fixed to the face of each cooperating jaw, the attachment being used to either grip the workpiece held between the jaws, or to increase the maximum distance between the jaws of the vise to hold larger objects. Such attachments used to grip workpieces between the jaws are usually flat, but can also have a L-shaped ledge which allows a workpiece to rest upon a flat surface while being held between the opposing faces. An example of such an attachment is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,949, to Dossey et al., which discloses the use of interchangeable attachments that may be attached to the jaws of a vise to hold irregularly shaped workpieces and perform different machining operations.
However, the Dossey et al. patent and other such attachments known in the art are troublesome to use because the attachments mounted on the cooperating jaws completely engage two entire sides of the gripped workpiece, thus preventing a machinist from accessing those sides. For instance, when the vise grips the generally flat, square workpiece previously described, only two sides and the top are accessible for machining or other mill work. Each of the attachments mounted on the cooperating jaws would cover each remaining two sides. Again, if such a workpiece required machining on all four sides, the machinist would need to release the article from the vise, rotate the article ninety degrees and then reinsert the article into the vise resulting in lost time and money.
Others have developed vise attachments that permit the clamping of workpieces of varying size. An example of such a product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,422,629, to Carlson, which discloses the addition of accessory members for attachment to the jaws of a vise. The accessory members allow a vise to grasp a workpiece the size of which otherwise exceeds the maximum distance between the jaws of the vise. Indeed, the Carlson patent and other similar attachments taught in the art do not overcome the disadvantages mentioned above, because single piece grip attachments that span the entire grip face prevent access to the gripped sides of a workpiece held by the vise.
To overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art, it is a primary objective of the present invention that it provide a vise for gripping a workpiece or the like that offers ready access to substantial portions of the gripped sides of the workpiece. It is a related objective that the gripping be facilitated by a plurality of gripping members, selective ones of which may be removed from the vise jaws, with the remaining gripping members holding the workpiece firmly in place.
It is a further objective of the present invention that it provide a mechanism for attaching the plurality of gripping members to a vise for gripping articles. The mechanism should allow access to the gripped sides of a workpiece and should be affixed to the vise jaws in a manner that allows for quick and efficient installation and removal.
It is yet a further objective of the present invention that the plurality of gripping members be easily installable and removable from either the vise jaws or the mechanism for attaching the plurality of members to the vise jaws. This objective should be accomplished in a manner that allows a user of the vise to access substantial portions of the gripped sides of the workpiece, without having to remove the workpiece from the vise.
Finally, it is also an objective of the improved grip set of the present invention that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.